Sitka City and Borough*

 

Sitka was originally inhabited by a major tribe of Tlingits, who called the village "Shee Atika." Russian Vitus Bering's expedition arrived in 1741, and the site became "New Archangel" in 1799. St. Michael's Redoubt trading post and fort were built here by Alexander Baranof, manager of the Russian-American company. Tlingits burned down the fort and looted the warehouse in 1802. In 1804, the Russians retaliated by destroying the Tlingit Fort in the Battle of Sitka. This was the last major stand by the Tlingits against the Russians, and they evacuated the area until about 1822. By 1808, Sitka was the capital of Russian Alaska. Baranof was Governor from 1790 through 1818. During the mid-1800s, Sitka was the major port on the north Pacific coast, with ships calling from many nations. Furs destined for European and Asian markets were the main export, but salmon, lumber, and ice were also exported to Hawaii, Mexico, and California. After the purchase of Alaska by the U.S. in 1867, it remained the capital of the territory until 1906, when the seat of government was moved to Juneau. A Presbyterian missionary, Sheldon Jackson, started a school, and in 1878 one of the first canneries in Alaska was built in Sitka. During the early 1900s, gold mines contributed to its growth, and the city was incorporated in 1913. During World War II, the town was fortified and the U.S. Navy built an air base on Japonski Island across the harbor, with 30,000 military personnel and over 7,000 civilians. After the war, the Bureau Of Indian Affairs converted some of the buildings to be used as a boarding school for Alaska Natives, Mt. Edgecumbe High School. The U.S. Coast Guard now maintains the air station and other facilities on the island. A large pulp mill began operations at Silver Bay in 1960. In 1971, the city and borough governments were unified. Sitka offers abundant resources and a diverse economy

Tlingit culture, Russian influences, arts and artifacts remain a part of the local color. Sitka has year-round access to outdoor recreation in the Gulf of Alaska and Tongass National Forest.

Sitka is located on the west coast of Baranof Island fronting the Pacific Ocean, on Sitka Sound. An extinct volcano, Mount Edgecumbe, rises 3,200 feet above the community. It is 95 air miles southwest of Juneau and 185 miles northwest of Ketchikan. Seattle, Washington, lies 862 air miles to the south. It lies at approximately 57.053060 North Latitude and -135.330000 West Longitude.  (Sec. 36, T055S, R063E, Copper River Meridian.)   Sitka is located in the Sitka Recording District.  The area encompasses 2,874.0 sq. miles of land and 1,937.5 sq. miles of water.  January temperatures range from 23 to 35 °F; summers vary from 48 to 61 °F. Average annual precipitation is 96 inches, including 39 inches of snowfall. *State of AK, DOT AMHS.

8,881 (US Census)

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